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This blog presents my thoughts, information and activities in my model railroading world.

Friday, August 19, 2011

Logging wood refuse

The photo below shows logging wood refuse - small branches and wood scraps from the logging operation.  All of these wood refuse scraps are from the birds - actually from their seed bag.  My wife loves birds and has bird houses and feeders around the yard.  One of the primary seeds used are black oil sunflower seeds which we buy in large bags.  Them birds are really hungry critters, especially in the winter.  When the sunflower seed is harvested pieces of the stalks which have been shredded end up in the bag along with the seeds.  As I loaded the feeder I noticed that many of these shreds of stalk looked suitable for use as logging refuse on the layout, and it is free (since we are buying the seeds anyway) and quite plentiful.


Another nice thing about the bird seed stalk scraps are that they look fine without any further coloring.  If the intent is to simulate well weathered refuse the stalk scraps can be soaked in an india ink and alcohol solution which gives it a grayed look.  


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